Double-eyed Fig Parrot

"Double-eyed Fig Parrot" - recently a finalist in the 2023 Holmes Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art.

Australia’s smallest parrot was even smaller than I expected it to be when I saw it in person. It is only 14cm long from beak to tail. The colours in this delightful little bird meant I had to get out all of the bright paints that I rarely use, and I especially loved painting all the markings on his lovely face.

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Whether it is birds, insects, botanicals or scenery, Alex Louisa's work captures all that fascinates her about nature. Brisbane based, she has been exhibiting within Australia since 2007, and internationally since 2012. She loves to pair highly detailed subjects next to unexpected backgrounds, such as splashy abstracts, experimental textures, crisp geometric patterns, or the sheer beauty of untouched woodgrain.

Often experimenting with mixed media, Alex mainly works with oils, watercolour, PanPastel, and charcoal. She focuses on elements of the natural world that grab her attention - by discovering the intricacies of a leaf or flower, or by trying to capture an animal's individual personality. She is constantly drawn to studying her surroundings and would love to eventually capture all of her favourite landscapes in paint, but birds will forever be her favourite subject. After all, her first word was "bird," so she's a bird-lover from way back.